Auckland Anniversary Weekend Storm Recovery

On 27 January 2023, the Auckland region experienced its wettest day in recorded history. Over 280 mm of rain fell in less than 24 hours at Albert Park, described as a 1-in-200-year event (NIWA, 2023).

The storm caused billions of dollars in damage and left thousands of homes with red or yellow stickers due to flooding and landslide risks. The year went on to be the wettest on record for the region, highlighting the scale of the challenge facing homeowners, insurers, and local authorities.

In the immediate aftermath, Cook Costello mobilised a large team of geotechnical and structural engineers to support recovery efforts.

• Rapid Assessments – More than 500 residential properties were inspected for insurers, claim providers, and private homeowners.

• Innovative Surveying – Drone technology and new survey methods were deployed in areas unsafe for on-foot inspection, ensuring accurate data without compromising safety.

• Efficient Project Management – Coordinating hundreds of urgent assessments required streamlined systems, real-time progress updates, and rigorous quality assurance across a large, multidisciplinary team.

• Detailed Engineering Design – For properties needing slope stabilisation or retaining structures, our engineers carried out full investigations, design, and construction review to deliver practical, resilient solutions.

Our work helped accelerate insurance claims, reduce uncertainty for homeowners, and provide practical pathways to remediation. Several properties have since been stabilised, red or yellow stickers removed, and families able to return home with greater confidence in their property’s resilience against future storm events.

Delivering this large-scale, fast-paced programme demonstrated Cook Costello’s ability to combine technical expertise, innovative tools, and strong client collaboration, providing communities with trusted solutions in the wake of disaster.